Card-delivering device



Jan. 19 1926. I 1,570,182

R. E. PAGE GARD DELJVEHIMT 'DEVICE Filed March. 11 1924 Supra oz Wahr Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH E. PAGE, OF BIN GHAMTON NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE TAB'ULATING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION F NEW JERSEY.

CARD-DELIVERING DEVICE.

Application filed March 11, 1924. Serial No. 698,474.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, RALPH E. PAGE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card- Delivering Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In the compiling of statistical data, use is made of so-called tabulating cards, which cards are perforated to designate various forms of information. The tabulating cards are passed through sorting machines which sort out from a group all cards of a given classification and afterwards they maybe passed through tabulatng machines which may print or otherwise record the data derived from the perforated records and effect accumulations of certain entries.

2O Although it is the general practice to individually punch the data on the various cards occasion sometimes arises for using prepunched cards for keeping stock for inventory purposes, etc. These prepunched cards 2 are prepunched with the desired designating i data and it is the general practice to have a number of cards all alike and for the operator to select one or more cards from each group as desired and afterwards pass them Vith suoli systems it is necessary that the cards be kept in groupsand that the operator be able to readily withdraw one or more cards from any selected group.

The present invention is directed to the provision of a simple device to retain the cards in stack form and to permit one card at a time and only one card at a time to be dispensed and withdrawn from the stack by the operator. The device is of such nature that cards may be readily replaced therein. The device also is of such nature that the tension or pressure between the cards in a stack is the same irrespective of the number of cards remaining in the stack. The operator therefore does not find it more difficult to withdraw vcards when there are a great number in the stack than when there are only a few in the stack.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device mounted upon a table.

through the sorting and tabulating machines.'

Fig. 2 is a central transverse sectional view with the upper card partly withdrawn.

F ig. 3 is a detail view showing the fastening of the top and front cover plate.

In more detail, the device comprises a box 10 preferably opened at the front, back and top and adapted to receive a stack of record cards 11. The box proper may be formed in any desired manner as by two L-shaped sheet metal pieces 12 and 13. After the cards arek placed in the box they are held in place therein by a cover and front plate structure which is also formed to permit one card, and only one cardv at a time, to be withdrawn from the stack. This structure includes a top cover plate 14 provided with rear outwardly extending lugs 15 and front lugs 16. Lugs 15, 16, cooperate with the edges of the box to guide the top cover or followe-rplate. Adjustably fastened to lug 16 by screws 23 is a front plate 17. Preferably for purposes of adjusting the relative vertical position of the plate 17 with respect to the cover plate 14 the cover plate is provided with elongated adjustment slots marked 18 in Fig. 3. Top plate 14 is so adjusted with respect to the cover plate 1 7 as to provide a card throat 20 of just suiiicient width to permit one card at a time, and only one card at a time to be Withdrawn above the lfront plate 17. 'Io permit the user to reach further with his index fnger and withdraw the uppermost card from the stack the top plate 14 is notched as shown at 19. The front plate is preferably also notched as shown at 21 to permit the slight bending down of the cards at the center under the pressure of the users iinger when the cards are withdrawn.

After a card is withdrawn the weight of the follower and front plates causes the same to drop until the former rests upon the next lower card, thus presenting the withdrawal slot 2O in alignment with the next lower card whereupon it may be removed.

In the saine manner after the cards are entirely withdrawn the front and cover plates may be removed, a new stack of cards inserted, the parts replaced and a second series of withdrawals commenced. Preferably the device is placed at the front edge of a support or table to permit the free descent of the front plate.

What I claim isl. An apparatus for individually dispensing tabulating or other record cards, comprising a U-shaped open-topped box, a combined cover and front plate assembly slidably mounted thereon, said assembly having a Withdrawal slot having upper and lower edges through which only one card at a time may be slidably withdrawn and a notched opening in the top plate through which the to be withdrawn card may be reached by the operator.

2. An apparatus for disoensing tabulating or other record cards, comprising a retaining box for a, stack of superimposed cards, a front plate slidably mounted thereon, said plate being shaped to provide a withdrawal slot at the upper portion thereof, -said withdrawal slot having its opening limited to substantially the thickness of a card whereby only one card at a time can be withdrawn therethrough, said plate having means as sociated therewith extending over the upperm-ost card in the box for aligning the withdrawal slot with the uppermost of the superimposed cards.

3. A dispensing apparatus for tabulating or other record cards, comprising a U-shaped open-topped box, said box being open ended at both ends to receive a superimposed stack of record cards, a front plate supported by said cards and slidable vertically with respect to said box and forming a closure for one of the open ends of the box, said plate being shaped to provide a withdrawal opening adjacent the top thereof to permit the withdrawal of only one card at a time from the stack within said box, said plate being adapted to automatically descend after the withdrawal 0f one card to align the withdrawal opening with the next lower card.

t. A dispensing apparatus for tabulating or other record cards, comprising a U-shaped open ended and open-topped box, a combined front plate and follower assembly supported by the record cards in said boxes, guiding lugs lon said assembly coacting with the rear edges of said box, a withdrawal slot in front of said assembly through which the uppermost card in a stack within the box may be withdrawn, said follower having an opening through which the operator may reach the upper card to withdraw the same.

5. A dispensing apparatus for tabulating or other record cards comprising a U-shaped open ended and open-topped box having a pair of side walls adapted to receive and enclose at the sides a stack of record cards, a united front plate and follower plate assembly supported upon the cards in said box and guided within said box by the walls thereof1 said assembly having a withdrawal slot in the front thereof through which the uppermost card in the stack` may be withdrawn, said assembly having notched Aopenings in the follower and front plates for the purpose described.

6. A dispensing apparatus `for tabulating or other record cards comprising a U-shaped open ended and open topped box adapted to receive a stack of record cards, a united front plate and follower plate assembly supported upon the cards in said box and guided Iby said box7 said assembly having a withdrawal slot in the front thereotl through which the uppermost card in the stack may be withdrawn, and means for adjusting the width of said withdrawal slot.

7. An apparatus for dispensing tabulating or other record cards comprising a retaining box for a stack of superimposed cards, a front plate slidably mounted thereon, said plate being formed to provide a withdrawal slot at the upper portion thereof through which only one card at a time can be withdrawn7 said plate having means comprising a plate member associated therewith and extending over the uppermost card in the box, and guided at the sides entirely by the inner surfaces of the side walls of said box for ali @ning the withdrawal slot with the uppermost of the superimposed cards.

8. The invention set forth in claim 7 in which means is provi-ded for adjusting the width of the withdrawal slot for the purpose described.

lin testimony whereof I hereto alifix my signature.

RALPH E. PAGE. 

